2023 Ravensworth Sangiovese, Canberra District

Notes of Xmas cake spice and maraschino cherry make way for a core of dark cherry, bramble and chewy inky tannins. A fresh line of acidity brings lightness to the palate while feathery tannins remind of the grape's Italian origins. A plate of cured meats is a great partner. Drink 2025 to 2029.

90 points Gabrielle Poy for The Real Review, November 2025

Bryan Martin spent years as a winemaker at Clonakilla alongside Tim Kirk before establishing Ravensworth in 2001 at Murrumbateman in the Canberra District. The operation is deliberately small, built around a straw-bale cellar housing an eclectic collection of vessels — amphora, ceramic eggs, concrete and large oak foudres — each chosen for what it brings to a particular wine rather than aesthetic reasons alone. His philosophy stops short of the natural wine camp but leans firmly in that direction: no chemicals, no additives, minimal intervention, and a deep trust in fruit, site and the microflora that have been doing this work for millennia.

Sangiovese has been Bryan’s signature variety from the beginning and remains the heart of the range. His Sangiovese vines are of various Brunello clones — Sangiovese Grosso, known for dark fruit and structured tannins — and also the oldest vines on the estate. The 2023 was a season that demanded patience before settling into the slow, progressive ripening that Sangiovese rewards. The grapes were whole-berry fermented in oak and cement and plunged daily for 3-12 weeks. The wine matured in large format oak foudres, and was bottled May 2025, almost two years after harvest. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.

Dark cherry, blood plum and cranberry on the nose with dried herbs, spice and a savoury mineral edge that calls to mind the great structured reds of Italy. The palate is elegant and finely framed with a lively line of acidity and those characteristic fine, persistent tannins that Sangiovese delivers at its best.

Italianate food is the natural companion here: a slow-cooked wild boar ragù with pappardelle, or a simple pizza bianca with aged pecorino and good olive oil. The acidity and fine tannins cut through richness and lift savoury elements.

Drink now through 2033.